Nine Months
by symbiotic
Summary: Sequel to "Breaking News" Diana and Akko prepare for their family to grow. Pure fluff and some emotional moments all from Diana's perspective. DianaxAkko
1. May

**AN: Hi there!**

 **This was a story a number of you asked for and I am happy to report that three months later...you got it! This is a sequel to my oneshot "Breaking News", which I highly suggest you read before you read this.**

 **This project is going to have two running aspects. One is that it'll be pure fluff, almost no plot whatsoever beyond the advancement of time. The second is that these will be short pieces, just over the so called flash fiction length. My goal is to keep these pieces under 2000 words. I figure little shorts will be the best way to convey the sort of fun nature of this piece.**

 **But wait, there's more! If these shorts receives enough of a positive responses from the LWA community, it will serve as a prequel to a much larger and epic LWA project. So if you want to see that please review, favorite, and sign up for alerts! If you want the next phase of this saga I started with "Breaking News", it will come.**

 **Please enjoy and critique as always!**

 **-Symbiotic**

* * *

This time coming home for Diana was extra special, probably the most special it had been in some time. There were so many thoughts on her mind, so many things going through both her head and her heart that she wanted nothing more than to get home as quickly as possible and be with the one that she loved more than anything in the whole world.

She raced home from Luna Nova and made a quick stop before arriving at her house. When she arrived she quickly opened the door and nearly sprinted inside. "I'm home," she called out as she came through the door.

It didn't take long for her to be greeted. Akko was waiting for her in the living room of their small home. The brown haired Japanese woman quickly got up from the couch and embraced Diana in a large hug which the blonde equally reciprocated. Much to her surprise Diana found Akko bury her face in her chest and start crying, bawling lightly and letting tears fall down from her face into Diana's professor's uniform. Diana felt a bit startled by the display, but realized where it was coming from and sought to calm her wife with gentle strokes down her back and some humming.

"I missed you," Akko said through her tears. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too," Diana replied. She continued to stroke Akko's back and slide her hands through Akko's hair. "I always miss you but now…" Diana watched Akko look up at her. "It's only been a few hours since you were in my classroom and it feels like you've been gone for so much longer."

"Don't you get emotional on me now," Akko chuckled as tears still welled up in her eyes. "I'm the one who's supposed to be a total mess."

"Yes but…" Diana began. Before she could continue she felt Akko take her hand and begin to pull her away into the house. "Akko!"

Diana was dragged from the front of the house with her bag in hand all the way to the living room of their home. There she was left to stand with Akko away from her, able to reminisce at all the photos, flyers, and awards they kept in the space. She looked at all the medals and trophies she had received at Luna Nova; the time in her freshman year she was named Moonlit Witch, all the broom relay trophies, and many others. She looked at all the flyers from Akko's performances, marveling at the amount of regalia that Akko had accumulated in her brief time as a performer and magical entertainer. She took in all the pictures she had with world leaders, with smiling children, with glowing fans who Akko had brought inspiring uplifting performances to. And she took in all the photos of their wedding day, what had been the happiest day of Diana's life up till this point.

Now though, things were very different. This was a sensation, a set of feelings, that were entirely new. This day meant something so much more to her and Akko. And she could tell Akko wanted nothing more than to celebrate it with her in the comfort of their own home.

Akko reached over for the remote that controlled their home's entertainment system and put on a gentle acoustic guitar song. Before Diana could say another word she felt herself wrapped up gently and her hands held up. "Let me set my bag down at least," she asked. Akko chuckled and let Diana ago, allowing the blond witch to set her bag down on the coffee table before she took Akko's hands in her own. They were incredibly soft and just the right temperature, not too warm and not too cold, creating a sensation that Diana could describe as being nothing short of cozy.

Akko held Diana's hand and placed one hand around her wife's hip, which Diana did in kind. And as the music continued to play. Slowly they established a gentle rhythm, moving each other in an even cadence as the music filled the room. Diana looked down into her wife's eyes, seeing the raw emotion being held at their surface. She felt her own emotions swell up in her eyes as she looked down at Akko's.

"So how was the rest of your day?" Akko asked.

"It was…" Diana began. "Oh I don't even care, it was fine I suppose." She swayed Akko gently in her arms. "I'm just happy that I'm home with you. And that...it worked…"

"I know, right?" Akko chuckled. "It finally worked."

"It fucking worked!" Diana exclaimed with joy, not caring one bit that she had dropped an f bomb or that she had thrown any pretentions of subtlety out the window. She picked up Akko and spun her around in a circle. "It worked, it worked, it fucking worked, Akko!" She laughed loudly and continued to spin Akko in a circle, earning laughs from her wife before she set her down. "Oh my god it fucking worked. I still can't believe it." Diana finished. She laughed a bit more and exhaled deeply to calm herself. "I'm just at a loss, Akko, I don't know what to…"

"You're at a loss?" Akko questioned. Diana raised her eyebrows and looked down at her wife, who bore a confused and hurt look on her face. "But you sounded so happy…"

"Akko, I…" Diana began.

"I wanted to ask you, Diana," Akko began emotionally. Diana watched her swallow. "Back in your classroom you said it was impossible, that we couldn't have done this, and that I was pranking you…"

"Oh, Akko, I…"

"Why would you think it wasn't ours?" Akko quivered through her lips. "Do you think that we're not capable of doing something like this?" Diana watched as tears began to fall down Akko's face. "Do you not want our baby, Diana?"

Diana sighed gently and put her hands on Akko. "Oh, Akko," Diana said slowly. She held her wife tightly and ran hands down her back. "I'm so sorry." She let Akko cry into her shoulder and held her close. "I deeply regret saying those things."

"Then why would you say them then?" Akko squeaked through her tears.

"Because…" Diana began. She paused for a moment and went to get the correct words. "Akko, I may have said before I can't believe it but I assure you…" She bent down on one knee and held Akko gently by the belly while looking deep in her eyes. "I was merely in a state of shock when you brought this up. I would never deny what we are capable of when we work together."

"Diana…"

She reached up and wiped the tears from Akko's eyes. "The truth is...the truth is that I'm so happy…" Diana felt tears well up in her own eyes and herself get choked up. "I'm so happy that after all the research, all the nights, all the trying, Akko, that it worked. I'm so happy that I'm...I'm going to be a mother...and I'm going to get to be one with you because of all the things we worked so hard for." Diana sniffled and ran her hands over Akko's belly. "The Words of Artcurus really are true."

"Hmm?" Akko muttered perplexedly.

"Phaidoari Afairynghor," Diana stated. "'You do not get the things you dream...you get the things you work for…'" Diana couldn't take it anymore. She wrapped her arms around Akko's belly and nuzzled her cheek up against it. "Of all the things we worked for...this might be the greatest of them all. And we did it together."

Those last words made Akko tear up again, but this time Diana knew the tears were out of pure happiness. Diana knew she had made herself clear to her wife, and took a moment to embrace her tightly before getting up and going over to her bag. Akko looked at her curiously as Diana reached into the bag for its contents. She pulled out a bottle of sparkling apple juice and two flute glasses. "I picked this up for us on the way home," she said as she walked back to her wife. "I figured it would be an appropriate way for us to celebrate." She popped the cork on the bottle and handed Akko a glass, pouring her the fizzy liquid before Akko poured some for her. "To our new family," Diana toasted as she raised her glass. "May we all grow together over these next nine months."

"Here here!" Akko said happily. She tapped her glass against Diana's and sipped her juice. "But, you know we have a lot more work to do, right?"

Diana raised her eyebrow. "More?"

"Well yeah we gotta buy baby clothes, buy baby toys, paint the baby's rooms here and the Cavendish estate," Akko said. "And we have to baby proof the houses, set up the baby's rooms, prepare the servants at the Cavendish estate for the baby so they can be ready when we come visit…"

Diana listened closely as Akko continued to rattle off more and more things that would have to happen over the next nine months. In fact there were so many things that it all made Diana rather dizzy. Why didn't she think of all this? "There's all that and so much more that we ought to do. And you're still going to be teaching your classes! Are you ready for all this?"

Diana felt the blood rush to her face and her heart skip a beat. Nervously she held onto her glass and looked Akko in the eyes, swallowing as she spoke her answer. "Yes. Yes I am. Because I'm doing all of that with you. And as long as I'm doing it all with you, Akko, then I'm ready for anything."

Diana found herself wrapped up once again in a tight embrace and smiled. The next nine months would surely be arduous, but as long as Akko was by her side everything would be okay.


	2. June

**AN: Wow, such great response from the fandom already! Keep this up and you'll get the big project in no time.  
**

 **Please critique as always and thank you for the support!**

* * *

 **-Symbiotic**

Diana couldn't believe she hadn't noticed some of Akko's pregnancy symptoms way earlier. It might have been easy to let it slip that Akko was going through some moody feelings that made her seem like an emotional wreck, but Diana chided herself for not seeing some of the far more obvious symptoms. Chief among them Akko's morning sickness.

Diana first began to notice it when Akko forgot to shut the door behind her when she went to go to the bathroom, not that shutting the door was chief among her concerns. The light would often shine in Diana's eyes as she slept, waking her out of her deep slumber to find Akko with her head practically buried in the toilet throwing up violently in the evening. At first Diana ignored it for she knew that morning sickness was just something that women go through when they're pregnant, but soon it began to worry her greatly, namely because nothing seemed to make it stop.

The final straw for Diana was when she returned home from Luna Nova one day and was hugged by Akko upon her return. But before Akko could go to say something Diana watched as Akko turned pale and proceeded to vomit up on her professor's uniform. The display made her want to gasp, but she held it in knowing that any display of surprise or disgust would greatly hurt her wife's feelings and she needed to do her best to remain empathetic to what Akko was going through.

The sight devastated Akko and made her fall onto the floor. Diana couldn't help but sigh. She stripped off her professor's uniform and hovered over Akko in nothing but her underwear, bending down and placing her hand on her wife's head to make sure Akko wasn't feverish. "I'm sorry," Akko squeaked. "I'm really sorry."

"It's okay," Diana said gently. "It's perfectly fine, Akko."

"No it's not!" Akko bawled. She stayed curled up in a ball and continued to sob onto the floor, unable to face her wife. "It's not okay because I know I'm keeping you up and now I just lost control of myself all over your uniform."

"I assure you that…" Diana began.

"I just want it to stop," Akko cried out. "I just want it to stop…"

Diana reached down and hugged her wife tightly. She may have been exhausted due to a lack of sleep and all the classes she was teaching, but she was determined to make Akko better no matter what. With that she led her upstairs and laid Akko on her side, assuring her that everything would be okay.

Diana then closed the door behind her and went to her study. Quickly she opened up every book she possibly could and began to scour the pages, looking for something that could help her wife. Anything would do; a spell, a potion, an incantation to some kind of a being. Anything that could possibly help her wife regain a constitution and be able to stop throwing up. And there was nothing she could find. There were no spells to reduce morning sickness, and more troubling there were no potions that Diana could make in her cauldron to help Akko feel better. In fact in all the literature that Diana possessed there were very few spells that actually could deal with pregnancy. Despite the fact that she had stumbled upon the ancient fertility spell that had allowed her and Akko to conceive a child in the first place there was little in the way to actually ease a pregnancy and make it better, and nothing that could help with morning sickness.

Hastily she made a call with her crystal ball to the one person she figured she could help. She waited on her end for several minutes before she got a hold of just who she wanted; Sucy Manbavaran. "I need your help," Diana said quickly.

"You need my help?" Sucy said shocked. Diana heard the puce haired witch snicker from the other end of the line. "Can the great Diana Cavendish please repeat that once more?"

"Sucy…" Diana growled.

"Okay, okay I've had my fun," Sucy said. "What's going on? What do you need my help with?"

"Has Akko by chance told you what's going on with her?" Diana asked.

"I haven't talked to Akko much lately but I heard what happened to you two. Congratulations."

"Thank you. But Akko's been going through a bout of...morning sickness for lack of a better term. And I need a way to address the matter."

"So you're wondering if there's a potion that can fix it, I assume?"

"As close as we are I wouldn't really be calling you otherwise, Sucy."

"Well at least you're honest," the puce haired woman replied. "But to be frank with you a potion isn't necessary to cure morning sickness."

"What? Really?" Diana said, completely baffled by what she was hearing. "I mean surely their must…"

"Nausea is a pretty small problem to be cured with something like a potion," Sucy stated. "There are loads of natural remedies and different things that can cure it before you need to turn to something magical."

"Can you give me some ideas?" Diana asked. "I'm truly struggling to figure out what to do and I'm afraid it could be getting worse."

Sucy began to rattle off a list of things that Diana could use, things which the blonde heiress wrote down upon a piece of paper. After she was finished she thanked Sucy and made her way over to the computer that Akko had set up in her study. Some things required the power of the internet to obtain more than magic.

* * *

"Akko?" Diana said. It had been a few days since the incident where she was vomited upon and Akko was still resting on her side with a pillow between her thighs. Diana approached her slowly. "How are you feeling?"

"Hmm?" Akko muttered groggily. "Diana…"

"How are you feeling?" Diana repeated, sitting down on the side of the bed next to her wife. She stroked her hair lovingly.

"I'm okay," she said with a smile. Diana could clearly tell her wife was in pain and continued to stroke her hair. "That feels nice."

"I got you some things," Diana said. She reached down for her bag and opened it up for Akko, pulling out a small container for her to open up. Akko opened up the container to find a medley of assorted food items; crackers, antacid chewies, and most interesting to her a host of assorted lollipops. Diana picked one up and unwrapped it for her. "Try one."

Diana watched her wife take the lollipop and begin to suck on it. Immediately a smile came across her face. "This tastes really good, but shouldn't I be avoiding sugary stuff when all this is happening to me?"

"These are what they call 'Preggie Pops'," Diana explained. "They're made of all natural ingredients and come in a variety of flavors. They're even doctor recommended for pregnant women as a way to reduce morning sickness."

"Aww," Akko said. Diana found herself quickly wrapped up in an embrace. "You're so thoughtful." Diana watched Akko suck on the lollipop. "And you know that sweets are the quickest way to my heart."

"You're far too elementary, my dear," Diana said. She bent over and kissed Akko on the forehead, which made the Japanese girl giggle in delight. Diana reached back into the bag and pulled out a can of ginger ale, which she poured for both her and Akko. "Two months," Diana said as she held her glass up. "Only seven more to go."

"Yeah," Akko said as she tapped her glass against Diana's. "Only seven more to go." Akko drank her ginger ale down and then let out a small burp, making Diana roll her eyes. "Thanks for sticking by me."

"What would I do otherwise?" Diana said. "You are the mother of our child and…"

"No I mean really, thanks for sticking by me," Akko repeated. "Thanks for staying up late to make sure I'm okay. For never complaining about being kept up so late because of what's happening to me. For letting me throw up on your uniform."

"Well I don't think I really wanted that last one to happen," Diana chuckled. "But I was completely fine with it, don't you worry." She bent over and kissed Akko again.

"But really, I know you don't have to do all this," Akko said. "You got your own life ahead of you and you got all the students. You don't have to put up with the fact that I'm such a mess." Diana watched Akko reach over and hold her hand. "I can take care of myself you know."

"I know you can," Diana said. She gently picked up Akko's hand in her own. "But as long as I'm here you'll never have to do that, Akko." She reached down and kissed her wife's hand, making Akko smile as she continued to suck on the lollipop. Diana then laid down next to her wife and closed her eyes. She didn't want to fall asleep but couldn't help it. And true to Akko's demeanor her wife let her drift off into a peaceful rest.


	3. July

**AN: A Happy New Year to all of you and I hope your holiday season has gone well. Enjoy this short and please critique as always. Thanks for the support!**

 **-Symbiotic**

* * *

As the weeks wore on Akko's morning sickness began to slowly subside, thanks in no small part to the deliberate choice of avoiding certain dietary items and smells that set it off and copious amounts of Preggie Pops. In no time at all Akko was back to regaining her constitution and was eating on a regular basis, though Diana still heavily monitored her diet as a precaution to not bring the morning sickness back. Diana was so uncertain about it that she didn't hesitate to give Akko a new Preggie Pop whenever one was finished.

Diana also bought her wife a special type of pillow to lay on whenever they rested in bed or on the couch. She encouraged Akko to rest on it as often as possible so as to take strain off of herself. Diana figured she was doing a massive favor at first, but was greatly surprised when her wife raised a protest. "I don't want to rest anymore," Akko asserted.

"Akko, that's absurd," Diana said. "You have to rest as much as possible."

"But I feel like I'm withering away over here," Akko groaned. "I can't be sitting around eating and drinking water all day. My back is getting all stiff. There's gotta be something more that I can do."

"I assure you that I have everything under control," Diana said as she stroked Akko's hair. "You don't need to worry about anything but your own well being."

"You're really not making this easy on me," Akko pouted with crossed arms. She laid still with the pregnancy pillow between her legs and Diana smiled. Akko was just where she wanted her to be, though Diana admittedly understood where her wife was coming from. Akko was used to being in much better shape than Diana admittedly ever was, not to say she was out of shape. Exerting oneself as a magical entertainer required just as much physical fitness as it did magical skill. Akko was used to working out on a fairly regular basis and now that she was pregnant she hadn't worked out in several weeks per Diana's orders, and Diana was hesitant to change her course of action on the matter.

"How about I figure something out that we can both do together to change things up," Diana said with a smile. "That way you won't feel like you're withering away anymore."

"You mean that?" Akko said with a longing gaze.

"Yes, my dear," Diana said. She bent down and kissed Akko on the head before laying down and wrapping her arms around her. Before Diana knew it she had closed her eyes and fallen asleep next to her wife. She was greeted by the gentle feeling of warmth from Akko's hand caressing her back, and snuggled into her wife's belly as her mind wandered off into dreamland.

* * *

A few days later Diana returned home from another stressful day at Luna Nova. She had been teaching her class the art of removing invasive bodies such as splinters and parasites from wounds, using synthetic pig tissue and tape worms, and as per usual some lessons took a lot more practice and time to absorb than others. This lesson was no exception to the rule, and Diana planned to reteach the lesson sometime next week to better help her students grasp the difficult subject. For now she was going to go home and take care of Akko, trying everything in her power to help her wife feel better during this arduous time.

Trouble was the research she promised to for Akko regarding activities that she could do while she was pregnant was never accomplished. Diana didn't necessarily consider it a big deal and simply flew home on her broom through the leyline terminal and decided to walk to her home in Blytonbury. When she arrived there she was greeted with the sound of Japanese pop music, Akko's favorite kind of music, blaring throughout the house and surely annoying the neighbors.

"Akko?" Diana called out. "Akko?" She sighed and walked over to the living room where the source of the loud music was emanating from. There she was greeted with the sight of Akko in a t-shirt and shorts holding a long metal bar in her hands doing one knee squats with a Preggie Pop in her mouth. The sight made Diana get queasy and drop her satchel upon the floor. "Akko!"

"Hmm?" the Japanese woman muttered. Akko stopped doing her squats and picked up the remote to shut the stereo off, looking over at her wife with a smile. "Diana, okaeri!" With that Akko bolted over to Diana and hugged her tightly, making sweat come all over Diana's professor's uniform. Akko looked up at her. "I missed you so much. How was your day?"

"Akko, what are you doing?" Diana muttered in shock. Her face was white as a sheet and beads of her own sweat were falling down her throat. Akko looked at her confused, making Diana grip her wife's shoulders tightly. "Akko, please tell me what you're doing!"

"Diana, you're hurting me!"

Diana sighed and let her shoulders fall and loosened her tight grasp on Akko's shoulders as she tried to calm herself down. "I-I'm sorry," she stuttered. "I don't know what came over me."

"What are you getting so upset over?" Akko asked perplexedly.

"Akko, you were exerting yourself unnecessarily," Diana said. "I must ask why you were doing such?"

"You mean me working out?" Akko muttered. Akko looked back over at the Smart TV, which was playing a home workout video she pulled up from the internet. "Diana, it's really no big deal."

"You're supposed to be resting with your pregnancy pillow, not pushing yourself physically the way you just were," Diana said in a worried tone. "Do you realize what could have happened to you and the baby? Our baby?!"

When Diana expected Akko to look at her with an understanding face she instead was greeted by giggles and a gentle hug. "You don't have to worry about us, Silly. Exercise is just as healthy and important for pregnant women as it is for women who aren't pregnant."

"But you could hurt yourself and the baby," Diana said nervously.

Diana felt Akko grab her hands gently and put them around her wife's belly. "Diana, the baby is going to be okay. In fact it's even helpful for the baby if the mother does some exercise. I'm only doing moderate workouts. It's not like I'm doing anything overkill." Akko gestured back over the bar where a water bottle sat on the floor. "Besides, I'm drinking lots of fluids and am taking plenty of breaks between sets."

"But you worry me by just doing things without my knowledge," Diana muttered. She could actually feel herself getting slightly overwhelmed at the moment. "Why wouldn't you just ask me if it was okay to exercise?"

Akko sighed and wrapped up Diana tightly. " I would never do anything that would hurt our baby, Diana. But I can't just sit cooped up in the bedroom on my pillow all day. It was driving me crazy. And that's not healthy for me or the baby."

Diana had a moment of pause. Akko said something she never wanted to hear. Diana was being told that she was doing something wrong, something unhealthy in fact, to her wife. The thought of that made Diana swallow nervously and struggle not to cry. Sensing her impending distress, Akko squeezed her grip around her tightly and encouraged Diana to do the same. Diana returned the gesture in kind and let her emotions go, tears flowing down her face as she thought of how badly she was screwing up, at least in her eyes. The thought of doing something wrong to Akko tore at her gut and made her feel sick.

"I'm so sorry," Diana squeaked. "I'm so sorry for doing that to you, Akko."

"Diana, it's okay," Akko assured. "I know you're stressed out."

"But I'm taking it out on you and that's not right!" Diana cried as she held Akko tightly. "I may be teaching still but I have no right to keep you locked up the way I was. You're right, it was bound to make you go mad. I could and should never do that to you, especially now." Diana felt herself go red in the face as Akko reached up and wiped the tears from her eyes. The gesture was incredibly comforting and one that she didn't want to stop. Quickly though she composed herself and got back into the form she always held herself in. "I'll be sure to let you partake in more physical activity from now on, but please do things less strenuous and in moderation. You're no longer an entertainer, Akko. You don't need to be in peak athletic form as you were back in your performing days."

"But I like being that strong," Akko said. She flexed her arms to show off her muscles. "Come on, tell me you don't want tickets to this gun show? You can't honestly say that now, can you?"

Diana chuckled. "I can't honestly say that. But I do want you to be careful. Not having enough fluids and pushing yourself too hard is very risky for you at this time. So please, ask me if its okay for you to exercise and partake in any strenuous physical activity."

Akko rolled her eyes before Diana saw them glow. "I know what we could do. We could start going on walks together!"

"Hmm?"

"We could go on walks together. That would give me time to get out into some fresh air and get my exercise in without you feeling like I'm pushing myself too hard. Plus it will be good for the baby to get outside and you can unwind from your day. So what do you say?" Akko put her hand out for Diana to shake. "Is it a deal, Diana?"

Diana thought about it and instead of being nervous found herself incredibly relieved. She was greatly surprised that Akko had come up with this quickly of a compromise. "That's a deal," she said with a shake of her hand.

Akko smiled and hugged Diana tightly again. "Good, now get changed. I want to go for a walk before we eat dinner and I want to hear all about your day."

Diana watched as Akko walked away and went to the bathroom, leaving her standing in the living room. Quietly she walked upstairs and went to get changed into a t-shirt and shorts. She was glad Akko had figured something out that would benefit them both.


	4. August

**AN: Here's a little something for everyone going into 2018. I want to thank everyone for all the support and advice that they have given me for all my LWA work. This has been so much fun.  
**

 **New chapter of Watering the Seed is in the works and more of these shorts on the way. Thank you again and critique as always!**

 **-Symbiotic**

* * *

It was the weekend. Akko and Diana were on another one of their walks around Blytonbury, taking a stroll near the river when they arrived at the bridge that led the way toward the leyline terminal that led to Luna Nova. Akko and Diana took a moment to sit down on the ledge of the bridge and look out at the summer sun as it began to set beyond the horizon, taking in the sight of children coming home from a long day of play and families out to eat at the many small shops, restaurants, and cafes.

Diana took this moment to take in the scenery and her wife as the time passed by. She greatly appreciated Akko's suggestion that they start going on these walks. It was different from the recreational broom flights that she was used to them taking in the past since Akko had mastered flying her broom during her performing days, which seemed very far away even though it had only been a year since Akko decided she was going to take some time off so her and Diana could attempt the ancient fertility spell. Going on these walks, far removed from the sky and the sensation of flight, was a certainly more intimate way to go about things. And if she was honest herself Diana grew to enjoy each walk more than the last. Not only did it allow her to unwind from her stressful day it most importantly gave her an opportunity to see Akko's face glow, something which she never grew tired of.

The two of them decided to get some ice cream from a local cafe. After ordering their treats they sat down on a bench and eat, taking in each other's company in the warm summer afternoon. "I wanted to ask you something," Akko said. Diana raised her eyebrow and watched Akko get up close to her.

"Yes, Akko?" she said closely, taking in the calming warmth from her wife's shoulder pressed up against hers along with the August sun beating down upon her neck. Diana watched her wife pause before she went to speak up.

"Have you thought of what you'd name our baby?" Akko asked.

Diana felt her heart go backwards in her chest. Naming their baby? That was something she hadn't thought about at all. All she had on her mind was teaching her classes and taking care of Akko. She didn't have time for such small musings.

"I really haven't," Diana said. She watched Akko frown and look away. "Akko?"

"I just…" Akko began. She paused once more. "I was hoping you were because then we could talk about names and stuff."

"Akko…"

"No, it's okay," Akko said glumly. "I know with all those classes you teach you probably don't have time to think about what the baby's name will be."

Diana watched her wife turn back to eating her ice cream. The blonde heiress felt a knot come up into her throat that she pushed back down. This was all incredibly overwhelming to her and she found herself bitterly disappointed that she hadn't thought of something. It was clear to hear that she had really hurt Akko's feelings. This was definitely not a case of her wife being moody because of her pregnancy.

And with that thought in mind Diana found herself quickly coming up with a compromise. "I haven't thought about naming the baby because…" Diana began. She thought about this more. "Because I want you to name our child, Akko."

She watched Akko's eyebrows go straight up to the top of her forehead and her mouth go agape. "You what?" Akko said.

"I want you to name our child," Diana repeated.

"Me?" Akko said confused. "I mean, yeah I want some say but...you want me to pick the name without your input?"

"Mmhmm," Diana said with a nod of her head and a smile. "I trust you, Akko. I know you'll come up with something right."

"But I still don't understand," Akko said confused. "You really don't want any say in what we name our baby? That just doesn't seem right, Diana."

"It's not that I don't want to have any input, Akko," Diana said. "It's just…" She thought about what she was going to say carefully. "It's just...you're the one who took on my life essence and you're the one who is carrying the child. I think it's only fair that you have the right to name the baby first."

Akko reached over and wrapped Diana in a tight embrace. "You're so sweet," Akko said while holding her wife tightly. "But I really want to talk about ideas with you. I had a bunch in mind depending on whether or not the baby is a boy or a girl."

Diana stopped in her tracks. "If it's a boy or a girl?"

"Well yeah I mean…" Akko began.

"Akko, I just realized something," Diana said.

"What's that?" Akko said curiously.

"Akko, you're far enough along in your pregnancy that we could find out the gender of our baby."

"Are you serious?" Akko said with a glow in her eyes and an excited smile on her face.

"I am," Diana said. "You're more than twelve weeks into your pregnancy, and according to my research our baby has fully developed its sex organs. So we can find out if we're going to have a boy or a girl."

"And then we can really talk about names!" Akko said excitedly. Diana felt herself grabbed by the arm and nearly dropped her ice cream. "Come on, I don't want to waste any time. I want to find out now!"

Diana shook her head and went along with Akko. This was exactly what she hoped to see out of her wife.

* * *

Diana prepared the necessary ingredients for their experiment to take place. On the table before her sat a crystal ball and a quartz rod. Akko meanwhile laid back on the small loveseat that Diana kept in the study to sit on when she read the many tomes she kept in her office, exposing her growing belly for her wife to see.

With deft waves of her wand Diana enchanted the quartz rod with a seeing spell and slaved it to the crystal ball. With that she walked over to the loveseat, holding the rod in her hand with the crystal ball in the other. "You sure this is going to work?" Akko said curiously.

"Well it was either this or a potion that Sucy recommended me," Diana said. "And I don't trust you drinking potions at this time, so I figured this would be the next best thing."

"So how does this work?" Akko asked.

"The rod detects the latent magical energy radiating off of the baby's body," Diana explained. "With that energy it forms a picture in the crystal ball of what is inside your uterus. And with that picture we can determine whether or not…"

"We're going to have a boy or a girl?"

"That's correct." Diana readied the rod and with a quiet incantation charged it with her own magic. Glowing a gentle blue, she gave Akko a nod which her wife returned in kind. With that Diana pressed the rod gently onto Akko's belly. Akko giggled at the touch. "What?"

"It tickles," Akko giggled.

Diana smiled gently and began to run the wand gently over Akko's belly. Soon the crystal ball began to swirl blue. She watched her wife look over at the crystal ball as the image began to take shape. It was still very hazy. The two of them both watched it closely.

"Is it working?" Akko asked.

"I'm not sure," Diana said. "I know it's picking up on something but it's just…" The image still remained cloudy. "It just takes time is all."

Akko nodded her head and allowed Diana to continue on. Gently Diana caressed the rod over Akko's belly and watched closely. The image still remained very hazy. Diana continued the process but nothing seemed to change it. It still was nothing more than a swirling cloud, and that made Diana's heart sink and even made her mind go into a dark place. Was it possible that nothing was actually in Akko's womb? Was it possible she had just induced the symptoms of pregnancy in her wife and not actually impregnated her? Diana felt the thoughts grow more apparent in her mind, especially as she continued to not get an image.

Diana knew her wife could sense her distress. "Diana, it's okay," Akko said. "If it doesn't work it doesn't work."

"But I…"

"We can always find out other ways," Akko said.

Diana felt her lips quiver. Defeated, she put her head in her hands while holding the rod still on Akko's bell. She hated failure, and now she was failing her wife in an almost unthinkable way. It was only the gentle feeling of Akko's hand on her own that kept her from breaking down into tears.

Still in her moment of defeat, Diana didn't notice an interesting development take place that caught the attention of her wife. "Diana, look!"

Diana quickly picked her head up and looked over at the crystal ball. The cloudiness slowly faded and a picture of Akko's womb came into form. In a few seconds they could see the fully formed image of their still growing baby resting inside of Akko. And it didn't take long for Diana to study the crystal ball and make a most interesting discovery.

"What do you see?" Akko asked.

"Akko," Diana said gently. "Akko we're…" She felt a rush of adrenaline come over herself.

"Yeah, Diana?"

"We're going to…" Diana began. She couldn't believe what she was seeing and had to do a double take. "We're going to have a girl!"

"What?!" Akko exclaimed.

"We're going to have a girl, Akko! You're carrying a baby girl!"

Both women burst out in excitement and hugged each other, looking happily into the crystal ball at the baby forming inside of Akko. There was so much more on Diana's mind now that Akko and her knew what was coming into their life. Diana couldn't help but think of what was going to happen to Akko and her now that they knew, how much their future was going to change now that it was clear Akko was carrying a baby girl.

And she was also deeply curious what kind of names Akko had in mind.


	5. September

**AN: My girlfriend and amazing beta reader snitchxwitch gave me the idea for this one, and I had to get it out while it was still on my mind. Consider it a New Years Day present as a way to see out The Holidays.  
**

 **A song appears in this chapter, "Shape Of You" by Ed Sheeran. Feel free to listen to it when it comes up. The lyrics are in italics.**

* * *

"Come on, Diana!" Akko ordered. "We don't have a moment to waste. Tesco's sale on ladies clothes only goes on till midnight and I'm not letting it go by."

Diana rolled her eyes. This was another one of Akko's typical shopping binges for clothes. Ever since Akko got more money than she knew what to do with she had a habit of buying exorbitant quantities of clothes without any regard for the fact that she already possessed multitudes of other items in similar sizes that she could wear. And Tesco's, the UK's premier big box retail outlet, was her favorite place to shop for clothes because she could get so much for so little.

When they arrived they agreed to shop for Diana's items first, which made Akko huff in exasperation. Diana took a chance to chuckle at her wife's impatience and made sure to pick up the groceries that they needed in a quick fashion. Once they had filled the cart with the grocery items that Diana needed the two women moved on to the clothing section. Diana watched as Akko bolted between the racks of clothing and went to pick out different items, her eyes darting back and forth as Akko made her way across the storeroom floor.

"Okay so," Akko said as she came back with two shirts. "Red or white? What do you think? I can't decide."

"Uh well…" Diana said.

"You know what, I'll try on both," Akko said quickly.

"Akko, you have so many other things to try on already," Diana pointed out.

"Yeah yeah," Akko said as she went back to the cart, pushing it rapidly toward the dressing room. "You know you could benefit from filling up your wardrobe."

"What?"

"All you wear are those stodgy black professor's uniforms and a few seasonal outfits for when we go on walks and stuff," Akko said. "I think you need more casual wear." Diana rolled her eyes at her wife's observation. She didn't agree in the slightest but was content to let play along with her, like she was with so many other things during Akko's pregnancy.

After running around the clothing section a bit more Diana let Akko go into the dressing rooms to try on her clothes. Diana took her seat on a bench outside the dressing rooms and sat quietly. Normally this would go over without incident and Akko would periodically come out to take a look at things. But this time Akko was taking longer than expected. Diana remained patient until she began to hear a noise coming from Akko's dressing room. "Akko?" Diana said. She stood up and faced the dressing room, putting her hand to ear to listen closer. She heard whimpering coming from the room. "Akko, is everything okay?" No response.

Curious, Diana walked over to the door of the dressing room and knocked on the door. "Akko, is everything alright?"

"Go away," Akko squeaked from the other side of the door.

Diana raised her eyebrow. "What was that, my dear?"

"I said go away!"

Most of the time Diana would be willing to listen to her wife and let her be, but something was different about it this time. Was it Akko's morning sickness flaring up again? Did Akko have an accident in the dressing room, something that her Japanese wife had deftly avoided since her bladder seemingly shrunk during her pregnancy. Curious, Diana opened the door to the dressing room and saw something unusual. Akko was sitting on the floor with her knees to her face and tears falling down her face but her bra and panties. "Akko, what's wrong?" Akko continued to cry and mumbled something into her knee. Diana looked both ways to ensure no one was coming and shut the door behind her. "Akko?"

"I said I look ugly!" her wife cried out.

Diana bent down and put her arm around Akko's shoulders. "Akko my dear, what would ever make you say that you're ugly?"

"Look at me," Akko whimpered. The Japanese woman got up from the floor and stood in front of the mirror in the dressing room. "I'm so ugly, Diana."

Diana looked in the mirror and raised her eyebrow. "Akko, I fail to see…"

"Fail to see what?" Diana's wife shot back. She took a few more sniffles and put her hands on her belly. "My ankles are all swollen, my hair looks like a mess…" Akko put her hands on her side, revealing some purple lines down her side. "I have stretch marks and veins popping up all over me. On top of that I look like a snake that ate a bowling ball. And worst of all nothing fits me anymore!"

Akko put her head in her hands and continued to cry.."Don't worry about the clothes, my dear," Diana said with a smile. "There are many others we can pick out from in the store."

"Like what?"

"Well there's a whole selection of maternity clothes that you try on," Diana stated.

"I don't want to wear maternity clothes, Diana!" Akko cried more and walked back to her original outfit, hastily putting it on. "Get away from me."

"Akko, I…"

"Just get away from me, Diana!" Akko ordered loudly.

Diana was pushed into a wall as Akko stormed past her and went out back into the store with her fists clenched and tears falling down her face. Diana couldn't help but feel her heart sink slowly down into her chest before it came back up with a furrow of her brow. She had to make this situation right.

* * *

Diana ran through a checklist one more time of all the preparations she made while Akko was out. She was glad that Chariot had volunteered to take Akko out for a few hours while she went about her plan. Now all she had to do was wait in her living room for Akko to come home.

After some waiting Diana heard her door open and Akko say goodbye to Chariot. Diana remained absolutely still as Akko walked inside. "Diana?" she heard her wife call out. "Diana are you home?"

With that Diana stood up and grabbed the remote for their stereo, waiting carefully for the right moment until Akko was in the living room. Once Akko was inside Diana saw her wife put her hand up to her mouth as she marveled at the sight of all the candles lit in the room.

"Diana…" Akko said.

Diana walked over to Akko and took her hand as the music began to play. "May I have this dance, Atsuko?"

Diana watched as Akko nodded her head with a smile and gave her her hand. With that Diana turned on the stereo, put her hands on Akko's hips, and began to sway her wife gently.

"Ed Sheeran?" Akko said perplexedly.

"I know you said your run of performances with him was one of your favorites," Diana said. She smiled to hide the nervous swallow she made as she swayed her wife gently. She locked her eyes with Akko closely and continued their dance as the lyrics kicked in.

 _The club isn't the best place to find a lover_  
 _So the bar is where I go_  
 _Me and my friends at the table doing shots_  
 _Drinking fast and then we talk slow_  
 _Come over and start up a conversation with just me_  
 _And trust me I'll give it a chance now_  
 _Take my hand, stop, put Van the Man on the jukebox_  
 _And then we start to dance, and now I'm singing like_

 _Girl, you know I want your love_  
 _Your love was handmade for somebody like me_  
 _Come on now, follow my lead_  
 _I may be crazy, don't mind me_  
 _Say, boy, let's not talk too much_  
 _Grab on my waist and put that body on me_  
 _Come on now, follow my lead_  
 _Come, come on now, follow my lead_

Diana reached around and put Akko's hands on her rear, which made the brown haired woman raise her eyebrows. Akko held on gently, just what Diana wanted. She felt goosebumps on her skin.

 _I'm in love with the shape of you_  
 _We push and pull like a magnet do_  
 _Although my heart is falling too_  
 _I'm in love with your body_  
 _And last night you were in my room_  
 _And now my bedsheets smell like you_  
 _Every day discovering something brand new_  
 _I'm in love with your body_  
 _Oh—I—oh—I—oh—I—oh—I_  
 _I'm in love with your body_  
 _Oh—I—oh—I—oh—I—oh—I_  
 _I'm in love with your body_  
 _Oh—I—oh—I—oh—I—oh—I_  
 _I'm in love with your body_  
 _Every day discovering something brand new_  
 _I'm in love with the shape of you_

With that Diana let her hands wander down Akko's back, flowing through her hair as they reached just below Akko's hips. Diana grasped gently and elicited a small gasp from her wife, smiling happily.

 _One week in we let the story begin_  
 _We're going out on our first date_  
 _You and me are thrifty, so go all you can eat_  
 _Fill up your bag and I fill up a plate_  
 _We talk for hours and hours about the sweet and the sour_  
 _And how your family is doing okay_  
 _Leave and get in a taxi, then kiss in the backseat_  
 _Tell the driver make the radio play, and I'm singing like_

 _Girl, you know I want your love_  
 _Your love was handmade for somebody like me_  
 _Come on now, follow my lead_  
 _I may be crazy, don't mind me_  
 _Say, boy, let's not talk too much_  
 _Grab on my waist and put that body on me_  
 _Come on now, follow my lead_  
 _Come, come on now, follow my lead_

Diana leaned down and held up Akko's chin. She kissed her wife deeply, eliciting a low moan from Akko as their tongues became wrapped in an embrace.

 _I'm in love with the shape of you_  
 _We push and pull like a magnet do_  
 _Although my heart is falling too_  
 _I'm in love with your body_  
 _And last night you were in my room_  
 _And now my bedsheets smell like you_  
 _Every day discovering something brand new_  
 _I'm in love with your body_  
 _Oh—I—oh—I—oh—I—oh—I_  
 _I'm in love with your body_  
 _Oh—I—oh—I—oh—I—oh—I_  
 _I'm in love with your body_  
 _Oh—I—oh—I—oh—I—oh—I_  
 _I'm in love with your body_  
 _Every day discovering something brand new_  
 _I'm in love with the shape of you._

Diana moved her hands from Akko's rear end to her enlarged belly, caressing it gently as she moved Akko's hair aside and kissed her neck. Akko let out a series of pleasured whimpers.

 _Come on, be my baby, come on_  
 _Come on, be my baby, come on_  
 _Come on, be my baby, come on_  
 _Come on, be my baby, come on_  
 _Come on, be my baby, come on_  
 _Come on, be my baby, come on_  
 _Come on, be my baby, come on_  
 _Come on, be my baby, come on_

 _I'm in love with the shape of you_  
 _We push and pull like a magnet do_  
 _Although my heart is falling too_  
 _I'm in love with your body_  
 _Last night you were in my room_  
 _And now my bedsheets smell like you_  
 _Every day discovering something brand new_  
 _I'm in love with your body_  
 _Come on, be my baby, come on_  
 _Come on, be my baby, come on_  
 _I'm in love with your body_  
 _Come on, be my baby, come on_  
 _Come on, be my baby, come on_  
 _I'm in love with your body_  
 _Come on, be my baby, come on_  
 _Come on, be my baby, come on_  
 _I'm in love with your body_  
 _Every day discovering something brand new_  
 _I'm in love with the shape of you"_

Diana took Akko's hand and led her up the stairs. Once they were in the bedroom Diana laid Akko on their bed which was covered in flower petals.


	6. October

**Woo, I'm back on this work!**

 **I apologize for taking so long with this chapter. Some good old fashioned writers block and a focus on my longer work "Watering The Seed" took time away from this. Not to mention I've had some difficulties in my personal life that have gotten in the way of writing things like this.**

 **I'm pretty happy with this piece though. Feel free to critique as always!**

 **Kind Regards,  
Symbiotic**

* * *

The clock struck it's time to indicate Diana her lesson was over and she would have to let her students move on. "Remember, the Samhain festival is upon us in the next few weeks. For those of you are performing remember that my office door is always open if you need assistance." Her students took a chance to nod and acknowledge her offer before walking out of her classroom and leaving Diana by herself. Once they were all gone Diana made her own way out of her classroom and retreated back to her office for the one free period she had in between classes.

It wasn't going to be much of a time to relax because Diana had been putting off grading some of her assignments from her near constant doting on her wife during her pregnancy. Even with Akko's encouragement to not fall behind on her lessons Diana couldn't help it. Now she had to sit down and grade her students assignments, unable to delay putting the work off any longer than she already had. Her students were growing antsy to see their grades and Diana no longer wanted to keep them waiting anymore than she already had.

After making her way to her office Diana took a chance to make herself a cup of tea before setting down and pulling out the first of her assignments to grade; papers on the use of magic to heal joints, alleviate pain, and improve mobility. The spells were not easy ones to master as they involved regenerating existing tissue that was degrading, a difficult art to say the least.

She began to grade the papers and made her way through about five before she heard a knock on her door. She picked her head up and looked over at the door. "Come in," she said. Diana watched as the door was opened and not one of her students but instead a red haired witch wearing glasses and her regal attire that indicated her status at Luna Nova. "Headmistress Du Nord." Diana stood at attention. "For what do I have this honor?"

"Diana, how many times have I told you to not greet me like that," Chariot said with a shake of her head. "Despite my position I'd rather be known as just Chariot rather than Headmistress. That makes me feel very old."

"My apologies," Diana said. "What brings you here at this hour?"

"This is your free period isn't it?" Chariot asked. Diana nodded her head. "If you aren't too busy I would like to talk with you, but not in your office. Are you willing to take a walk with me around the school grounds?"

"Of course." With that Diana left her grading and walked out of her office to alongside her Luna Nova's head of faculty. "So how are you?"

"I'm fine," Chariot replied as they walked down the halls. "Just making the preparations for the Samhain festival with the rest of the faculty like always."

"I apologize for my lack of significant contribution," Diana said remorsefully. "I've been trying to not fall behind on grading my assignments while making sure Akko is attended to."

"Akko has told me she's alright and in good spirits," Chariot said with a smile. "I'm sure you must know that."

"I'd never doubt that," Diana said. "That doesn't mean though she doesn't require significant attention. I…"

"Diana, I wanted to talk to you about all this," Chariot said as they continued to walk down the halls and made their way toward the exit and onto Luna Nova's quad area where students studied outside when the weather was warmer. "Your students have come to me lately and have told me you don't seem to be fully engaged with them and your lessons."

"Excuse me?" Diana said, completely shocked by what she was hearing.

"They've said you are behind on grading their assignments," the older witch explained. "Not only that but your students have reported increasingly lethargic behavior from you and that you've been making mistakes in your spellcraft tutelage. Now I understand witches are human and mistakes are bound to be made but I am concerned its growing too frequent and I worry it could become unsafe."

"I assure you Headmistress that I am fully committed to my students and my lessons," Diana stated firmly. "I would never waiver on them under any circumstances."

"I don't doubt that, Diana," Chariot replied. "But I believe your personal life is negatively affecting your performance as a professor." The red haired witch paused for a moment before speaking again. "I'm deeply sorry for this, Diana, but I'm requesting you take a sabbatical until your personal affairs are in order."

Diana froze from where she was walking. A sabbatical? Time away from Luna Nova? That was something utterly unthinkable to her. She had never been away from Luna Nova very long, not since she had graduated and then taken up a job as a professor after her and Akko toured the world together. Luna Nova and the classes she taught were a huge portion of her life and now that was being taken away from her.

"I-I-I'm confused," Diana stammered. "You want me to...you want me to take time away from my teaching?"

"That's right," Chariot said bluntly. "Diana, I know what Akko told you about not letting your personal life get in the way of what you're doing here at Luna Nova, but I can't let this go on any further than it already has."

"At least give me till the Samhain festival," Diana said quickly, trying her best not to get emotional and seem like she was begging. "The students have important exams coming up and I can't…"

"I'll get a substitute to cover the class in your absence. But as of tonight you are officially barred from setting foot on Luna Nova grounds for a period of six months. Failure to comply with this rule will result in an immediate review and potential termination of your status as a professor at the academy. Am I clear, Professor Cavendish?"

Diana took a deep breath and looked down at the ground while sighing. "I understand, Headmistress."

Chariot stopped and put her hand on Diana's shoulder, looking deep into the blonde witch's eyes with a gentle and understanding look. "Please Diana, devote your all your energy and resources to taking care of Akko and your child. Be there for her and take this time to reflect on all that is happened so far and all that there is to come."

Diana nodded her head and went to make her way back to her office. She had a long list of preparations to make before she went on her sabbatical.

* * *

Diana made her way home for the night and still felt her heart heavy in her stomach. She was having trouble believing what she was told, but most of all she dreaded having to tell Akko about this. Akko had told her to stay committed to her work and worry. How was she ever going to break this to her.

She opened the door and walked inside. "I'm home," she called out.

It wasn't long before she heard footsteps making their way toward the door. Akko could no longer greet her as eagerly as she usually could, her pronounced baby belly inhibiting some of her physical movement. That didn't soften Akko's spirit though. Diana still felt herself wrapped up in a large hug. "Okaeri!," Akko said happily. "How was our day?"

"I have some unfortunate news, Akko," Diana said.

Her wife raised her eyebrow. "You want to sit down on the couch and talk about it?" Diana nodded yes and Akko led her to the living room. "So what's going on, Diana?" she asked.

"I regret to inform that…" She swallowed hard. "I've been put on a sabbatical." She saw her wife raise her eyebrows to the top of her head. "Headmistress...I mean Chariot...said I'm in no condition to be teaching given what is going on in our lives at this moment."

"How long?" Akko asked.

"Six months," Diana explained. "Long enough for the baby to be born and for us to settle into parenthood." She paused again and felt tears well up in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Akko."

"Diana, what do you have to be sorry about?" Akko asked.

"On the day you revealed the news that you were pregnant to me you said you couldn't live with yourself if my work was interrupted by what is happening to you. And I've failed you." She let the tears fall from her eyes and sniffled. "I'm sorry but I just can't…"

Before she could say another word she felt Akko's belly press up against her own and Akko's arms wrapped around her shoulders. A passionate kiss was planted on her lips and Diana quickly settled into it, wrapping her own arms around her wife as their lips were pressed together. "Don't you tell think you've ever failed me, Diana."

"Akko I," Diana began. A finger was put on her lips.

"I know you tried really hard to make it work, as hard as you possibly could," Akko said gently. "Chariot kept pushing me to ask you to put in maternity leave, but I didn't want you to because well you're not the one carrying a baby girl inside of you," she chuckled. Diana watched Akko paused. "I wanted you to do what makes you happy, Diana. And I know how much your teaching means to you and I didn't want to take that away. Sure, it definitely sucks that Chariot had to force you do this but...I'm actually really happy she did."

Diana felt her heart come up in her chest. "You are?" she asked. "But I don't understand."

She watched Akko lie down on the sofa and moved over so she had room to spread out her legs. "Come on," Akko ordered. "Come listen to our baby."

Diana nodded her head and moved herself up on the sofa, cuddling alongside her wife and placing her head on Akko's belly She put her ear back on the chest and listened closely. She could feel little thumping upon Akko's belly. "Can you feel it?" Akko asked her. "She's kicking. She's actually been kicking for awhile but you haven't had the chance to notice because you've been so busy with your work."

"Akko," Diana choked out of her throat. She was mentally kicking herself for missing these things. Despite what she was doing to take care of her wife Diana had missed out on several milestones and memories to be made of their pregnancy. It made her sick.

Diana felt Akko run her hand through her hair and say "shh" to calm her down. "I know what I said in your classroom that day, but I'm really glad you're staying home for awhile," Akko said gently. "I know you're going to take great care of me and the baby, not that you weren't before but now you'll have all the time to do so. And you won't miss any more milestones or things like this." Akko paused. "Plus she'll get to spend time with her other mother. It'll just be you, me, and the baby. And I couldn't ask for anything better than that."

Diana felt her heart flutter and reached up to hold Akko's hand. This kind of empathy, this understanding that Akko possessed to connect with anyone and everyone that she met, was one of many reasons that Diana loved her so much. She leaned down and kissed her wife lovingly and gently before going back to listen to her baby girl.

For the first time she couldn't wait to be away for the six months.


	7. November

**Alright, quick update!**

 **I really liked this one and figured I'd get it out as soon as possible, though I reposted it to do some drafting and change a few bits around.**

 **I don't know if the last two updates will come as quickly, as I haven't come up with what they'll entail. But I'll be sure to get to them soon.**

 **Feel free to critique as always!**

 **Kind Regards,  
Symbiotic**

* * *

"Come on, Diana! Lets get those reps in!" Akko said while clapping her hands. "You got this I know you can do it!"

Diana huffed as she continued to move her arms up and down, touching the two dumbbells she was holding together as they reached above her head. This was another workout in a six part light impact workout called "Mommy Motions" that Akko had found on the internet. Akko had been doing the exercise for weeks to help carrying their baby girl easier and to better prepare herself for carrying around all the baby gear. Now that Diana was no longer teaching Akko made sure that she was pushed to the utmost by working out as hard as she could before the baby was born. Diana found the exercises tiresome but she was willing to do it to entertain didn't necessarily see how working out with such little time before her daughter was born would make a difference.

Diana watched Akko as she did her reps closely, the brown haired woman holding a stopwatch as the seconds ticked down toward the time when the workout would be done. But before the stopwatch went off and the workout was completed there was a ring from their doorbell.

"She's here?" Akko said. The Japanese woman looked down at her cell phone and smiled wide. "She's here!"

"Already? But I thought she wasn't supposed to arrive for another hour," Diana said. She sighed. "Akko, at least let me go change and take a shower."

"Diana, you know she doesn't care whether you're sweaty or not," Akko said as she walked toward the door. "Now come on! My mom wants to see you."

Diana walked up to the door as Akko opened it wide for their guest. There in the doorway was a 5'5" woman who looked to be in her late fifties. She brown hair and red eyes very similar to Akko wearing a red sweater and blue pants while holding a large brown luggage case. A smile was spread across her face as she set her bag down and reached out to hug Akko tightly. Diana, even in her sweaty and winded state, couldn't help but smile. She didn't expect anything less out of Akko and her mother.

Diana stood back while Akko and her mother greeted each other in Japanese until she took notice of her. "Diana," she said happily. The older woman gently nudged Akko aside and walked into the house. Diana went to step back a little, not wanting to hug her mother in law in such a sweaty state, but the Japanese woman wrapped her up in a tight embrace regardless. "It's so good to see you. How's my favorite daughter in law?"

"I'm well Mrs. Ka..." Diana stopped before she continued on, remembering something important about interacting with Akko's mother. "Reiko. It's great to see you too."

"You remembered!" Reiko said with a giggle and a pat on Diana's back. "I swear when you call Mrs. Kagari you make me sound like Akko's grandmother." She reached over and gave Diana a kiss on the cheek. "I'm so happy for you. I know none of this would've been possible without your work. Your mother would've been so proud."

At Reiko's words Diana felt her eyes sink back into her head and her heart fall in her chest. "My mother," she said quietly.

"Hmm?" Reiko said. "What about your mother?"

Diana quickly composed herself. "Nothing." She reached down and took Reiko's bag. "Here, let me show you to your sleeping arrangements. After that I'm going to take a shower because I smell positively rancid."

Akko and Reiko took turns to laugh at her before she led them back into the house. Once she had gotten Reiko settled Diana went to take a shower. While inside the shower she stood under the hot water and tried to center herself and settle the negative emotions inside her. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't get them to go away.

* * *

Reiko intended to stay for a few months until after the baby was born. She helped buy groceries, cook meals, and do other household chores that Akko wasn't able to do, all so Diana could perform essential medical tasks and monitor Akko and the baby's health. She even helped Diana pack up her her large collection of grimoires, tomes, and magical artifacts could be moved safely to the Cavendish manor where her study would be rebuilt. Diana found the gesture incredibly endearing and was thankful for Reiko's presence. Yet something within left her depressed about the whole thing. It wasn't that she was angry at Reiko for coming, even if she did kind of invite herself to stay for as long as she was. It was something different, something Diana didn't really expect.

It finally came to a head when Reiko was making dinner one night. "I do hope I cooked my tonkatsu well," Reiko said as she dished some of the pork cutlets and shredded cabbage along with some homemade karashi sauce. "I rarely get to make this at home now that Mr. Kagari is trying to eat more healthy." The three of them sat down at the table to eat. "I can't wait for my granddaughter to come visit for the first time! Thinking about being a grandma makes me feel so old but it also makes me feel so excited!"

"I can't imagine the elation that you must be feeling," Diana said. She poked at her food with her fork. "I look forward to her being able to visit as well."

"Diana, are you feeling okay?" Akko asked. "You've hardly touched your food."

It took Diana a moment to acknowledge what Akko had said. Still she didn't bother looking up at her wife. "I'm fine," she replied. "I believe I've lost my appetite though."

"Hmm?" Akko said confused.

"Is something wrong with the food?" Reiko said, worry coming of off her voice.

"No, it looks and smells delicious." Diana got up from the table and pushed her chair in. "If you'll excuse me I think I'm going to go lay down for a little while." Diana then walked out of the kitchen and made her way up the stairs toward the bedroom of her house.

"Would you like me to keep your plate warm?" Reiko called out as Diana walked up the stairs. Diana didn't bother responding.

She walked to her bedroom and fell on her bed before looking over to her nightstand. There she kept one of her most precious possessions; a photograph of her and her mother, the late Bernadette Cavendish, sitting outside somewhere on the Cavendish grounds. Diana grabbed the photo and looked at it closely, recalling the excited grin on her face as a little girl while her mother gave her her signature gentle smile. She ran her fingers over the photo and sighed. She could still feel all the negative feelings she had inside her at the moment. Nothing was making them go away.

She lay still for a moment until she heard a knock on the door. "Diana? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Akko," Diana replied. "I'll be down in a little bit. There's no need to come in."

Regardless of her request Akko came into the bedroom anyway. Diana sighed again and remained still on the bed but she put the picture down before looking up at her wife. Akko's gaze was inviting and the smile she bore was just like the one her mother had in the photograph. "What's wrong?"

"It's stupid. You don't need to bother yourself with what I'm going through." She went to turn away from Akko and get up but Akko grabbed her shoulder and held her in place. Diana looked back up at her wife. The gentle gaze was replaced with one more determined that demanded answers. She sighed. "I feel so horrible that I'm thinking these things."

"What things, Diana?" Akko said gently, playing with Diana's blonde locks as she sat on the bed.

Diana held her eyes tightly shut and felt tears slip down her face. She couldn't believe how often she was crying during this whole pregnancy. She wasn't supposed to be the emotional wreck. "Akko, forgive me for saying this but... I'm feeling rather envious of you and your family right now."

"What do you mean?" Akko said perplexedly.

"You still have your mother and father, so our baby will have one set of grandparents. But from my family she'll have no one..." She put her head in her wife's belly, feeling . "I feel jealous that you'll be able to provide our daughter with something that nothing, not even magic, will allow me to provide for her. And I feel awful for thinking that."

She sniffled some more while keeping her head in Akko's belly. "You miss her, don't you?" Akko asked.

"Everyday, and only more so because she'll never get to meet her granddaughter," Diana said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "She'll never be there to teach her the virtues and codes of the Cavendish family, to share the tales of Beatrix the Affectionate with her, to take walks around the Cavendish grounds, to teach our daughter her first spells or how to ride a broom or…"

Diana felt Akko's hand go through her hair, humming gently to calm her down. "You know what I think?" Akko said. Diana looked up at her with watery eyes. "I know you miss her and you say she'll never be there to do all those things, but someone else will."

"Who?" Diana asked.

Diana watched as Akko bent over and kissed her on the forehead, sending her blood rushing to her face. "You'll be there, Diana. She'll have you to teach her all those things." Diana looked up at her wife with watery eyes. "And you know what else? I think that's how your mother would've really wanted it," Akko said. "I think she would've wanted you to be the one to teach her all those things, to take part in all those memories. She would've wanted you to teach her all the things she had to learn to be a Cavendish witch." She felt Akko run her hand through her hair again. "I think your mom, wherever she is, knows just as well as I do that you're going to do a great job at all that."

Diana sniffled a little bit more and wiped the last of the tears from her eyes. She sat up on the bed and reached for her wife, enveloping her in a tight hug. As she hugged her wife Diana looked back at the picture of her and her mother and smiled. "I'll make you proud, Mother," she said under her breath. "I promise I'll make you proud."


	8. December

**And I'm back!**

 **This one went over the word limit that I established for myself ever so slightly. I cut it down to as close to 2000 words as I could, but alas to no avail. Either way I'm really happy with how it came out and I hope all of you are as well.**

 **Please critique and support as always!**

 **Kind Regards,  
Symbiotic**

* * *

"So you won't be joining us for Yule, it sounds like?"

Diana nodded yes towards her aunt. The two women rode horses slowly through the woods surrounding the Cavendish estate, the cool air stinging their faces as they made their way down the trail further and further into the forest. The sky was cloudy and there was a pervading fog throughout the seemingly dead countryside, the wet and cold weather of winter having taken its hold on the landscape.. It didn't bother Diana or Daryl much, both women having wrapped cloaks over warm winter clothes as they made their way deeper into the wood.

"I don't believe I am going to," Diana said. "I really just want to spend it with Akko, her mother, and our daughter. I just want a quiet Yule, Christmas, whatever you want to call it...I just want a quiet holiday to myself and our family. I can't put Akko through the stress of going to a ball anyway, and her mother would be very out of sorts."

"I haven't seen Akko's mother since your wedding," Daryl remarked. "Is she still as uppity and cheery as she was then?"

"She hasn't changed at all," Diana said with a smile. "When I say out of sorts for her I don't mean that she wouldn't know what to do if we brought her to the annual Yule ball that you'll be hosting at the estate, it's just that she doesn't…"

"You don't have to justify your decision to me," her aunt replied.

Diana nodded back at Daryl as they continued their ride. Since the Grand Triskelion had been unleashed Daryl and her had been on much better terms. Daryl still oversaw the day to day operations of the Cavendish estate but had largely relinquished most of the final say to her niece, coming to terms with Diana's belief that no amount of money was worth forsaking centuries of magical wisdom and prestige that the Cavendish family had cultivated. Their relationship had grown even closer when Daryl had learned Diana had successfully conceived a child and thus would allow the Cavendish line to continue beyond her own daughters. While they weren't exactly what Diana would call friendly the two had developed a mutual respect for another and now considered themselves allies rather than adversaries.

There was however a few matters that concerned both of them. "So what have you decided about your ascendancy?"

Diana swallowed and gripped the reins of her horse tightly. That was one of the matters; the fact that the sacred ritual that would allow Diana to officially ascend to the head of the Cavendish family was going to coincide with her daughter's birth. While she couldn't pinpoint exactly what day her daughter was going to be born, she did know the date of the eclipse. There was a very real possibility that both events could occur simultaneously. "I haven't decided yet. I haven't even told Akko about it."

"Well you must. If you are to become the head of the Cavendish family you have to put it ahead of all else."

"There will be many chances for me to undergo the sacred rite."

"Well you must decide and you must decide fast," Daryl said curtly. "At the end of the day I don't give a damn what you do, Diana. But don't act like you want to be head of this family when your priorities aren't settled."

Diana nodded as she continued down the wood. Her thoughts and heart felt torn between one another, pulled in different directions between the two things she loved more than anything else; her beloved Akko and her beloved Cavendish family. After letting that battle rack her mind briefly she turned her attention toward thinking about the other conundrum she had; she didn't know what to get Akko for the holiday.

That was until her aunt and she found themselves stopped in their tracks as they continued down the path. There in front of Diana and Daryl was a great tree, a gnarled oak that had clearly grown for many many years in the forests beyond the Cavendish manor. It blocked the path in such a way that their horses would not easily be able to leap off of it without some assistance. Diana went to raise her wand to perform a spell that would blow the tree aside, but not before she felt her hand grabbed by a spell of Daryl's own.

"I understand you want to cast the tree aside, but look at the trunk before you do such."

Diana dismounted her horse and walked up to the tree. On the bark there was a heart with two sets of initials that were carved into the surface; DW and BC. Daniel Weseley and Bernaette Cavendish. Her mother and father.

"This tree was one of their favorite places," Daryl explained. "When they were younger and wanted to sneak away they would come out here and be by themselves." She dismounted her horse and walked up to the tree, putting her hand on the carving and running her fingers through it. "I never thought he was worthy of your mother, but she loved him dearly. It was a shame that he died in a crash while away on business. Then again Bernadette never did need anyone else." She looked Diana in the eyes briefly before turning back to the tree. "Your mother gave birth to you under this tree."

Diana's eyes shot wide open. "I beg your pardon?"

"You were born here. I should know, I was there," Daryl said. She shook her head and smiled. "You see this tree was the place where she felt closest to your father. So she gave birth to you under its limbs. I think she felt your father's spirit would be there to witness his daughter for the first time."

Diana smiled gently and ran her own fingers through the deep carving, feeling the charge that came off of it from the magic used to cut the initials into the tree. An idea then struck her. She knew exactly what she wanted to give Akko for Yule.

* * *

"Diana, wake up."

"Mrgph what is it, Akko?" Diana grumbled as she turned over in her bed. She felt Akko's hand shake her again. Sighing and blinking her eyes she turned back over to face her wife, who was smiling from ear to ear. "Are you well?"

"I'm fine," Akko assured her. "Come on, we gotta wake up."

Diana looked over at the alarm clock next to Akko's end table and saw it was just past six thirty in the morning. "Akko, it's way too early. Please get some more rest. You need to conserve your strength."

"Oh come on, Diana. We don't to sleep anymore."

"And why not?"

"Because it's Christmas!" Akko said with glee.

Diana's eyes shot open and she sat up in bed. "It's Yule already?!"

"You mean Christmas," Akko corrected her. "And yes, it's Christmas now."

Diana rolled her eyes and shifted herself out of bed, making her way toward her closet to put a robe on over her pajamas. "Should we go wake your mother?"

"She's already downstairs making breakfast," Akko explained. Diana quickly went to give her wife a hand and hoisted Akko out of bed. Her fingers interlocked she gingerly guided Akko out of their bedroom and down the stairs of their home, despite Akko protesting the fragile manner in which Diana was treating her. Reiko, who had made them tea and a breakfast, was waiting for them. They then moved to the living room, where Akko and Diana had erected a tree and decorated it with ornaments.

Underneath the tree were numerous gifts and presents that were all wrapped up in different boxes. Akko sat on the couch while Diana and Reiko stood around her holding their teacups. "So honey," Reiko said. "How do you want to go about doing this?"

"Hmmm," Akko said with her finger on her chin. "How about we start with…" Diana watched her wife furrow her brow before pointing at a large puce box with a purple ribbon. "That one." Reiko walked over and grabbed the box for Akko, who looked at the tag where it came from. "It's from Sucy."

"I wonder what it could be," Reiko asked.

Akko tore through the wrapping paper voraciously, making Diana both wince and chuckle, and opened up the box. Inside were a small set of vials, mixers, and a small cauldron. The whole thing made Akko swoon. "Awww look, Diana! It's our baby's first potion making kit! Isn't that so sweet?"

"It is my dear but," Diana said, reaching over and taking the box from Akko's lap. "I think I'll be holding onto that one until our daughter is older. The last thing I want her to do is accidentally concoct something dangerous without knowing any better." Akko pouted at Diana's decision.

The rest of the gift giving continued in earnest. Akko's relatives all gave the baby numerous toys and outfits that had cute little messages written in Japanese along with images of Sanrio characters. Lotte, Jasminka, and Constanze teamed up to make a most unique gift; an animatronic mobile that had magical transforming wooden figures. Lotte had written a soothing song that was enchanted to the mobile which would played whenever it moved, something that would put the new baby to sleep with ease. Amanda gave a plush version of the Shooting Star for their daughter to cuddle with. There were numerous gifts from the many friends they had made over the years, including fellow Luna Nova faculty and Chariot herself. Akko also received numerous gifts of clothing and other helpful items that would make living with their daughter easier.

"I think that's all, Honey," Reiko said.. "Diana and you sure have such great friends."

"Actually there is one more thing," Diana said. "If you'll excuse me love." Akko raised her eyebrow and watched as Diana went into her study and walked out with a wooden box and a wand in her hand. She handed the box to Akko along with the wand. "It's enchanted. The spell is Alema Construis. Go ahead, cast it."

Diana set the box on the floor and watched as her wife cast the spell. Their living was them bathed in green light as the box opened up. From there it began to unfold itself. It started slowly but the box began to change from a simple box into a long piece of furniture. Akko, Reiko, and Diana continued to watch the magical display take place until the transformation was completed.

When it was done there was a brown wooden cradle with an opal horn sticking out from just over the top. Akko put her hand over her mouth and gasped while Reiko looked on in awe. "It's made from a fallen tree on the Cavendish grounds," Diana began. "It was a very special tree, for it was where I was born under. The tree had fallen and died before we could save it, but its wood was repurposed."

Diana helped Akko up and showed her over to the cradle, showing her the carved sigil at the far end of the piece. "Those are the initials of my mother and father. The tree was their special place. Their initials are the mark of an enchantment my mother put upon the tree as a place where they would be shielded from curses and spirits. So our daughter will always be safe." She then turned her attention toward the opal horn sticking out on the other side. "This is the horn of a unicorn. Unicorn shed their horns frequently as adults, and even detached they still hold powerful magical properties. It will amplify our daughter's psychic abilities and allow her to safely venture out on her own into the astral plane. With it also she will gleam great knowledge and have the most vivid and wonderful dreams." Diana paused before turning back to Akko. "What do you think of it, my love?"

Diana didn't have to wait very long for a response. Akko quickly wrapped her up in a hug and pulled her in close, sniffling happily as she held onto Diana. "I love it," Akko squeaked happily. "I love it so much." She broke her hug and looked Akko deep in the eyes. "What did I ever do to deserve you?"

The two of them shared a passionate kiss after that. Diana briefly opened her eyes to see Reiko wink at her in approval before going back to kiss her wife. "Blessed Yule and Merry Christmas, Akko." She put her hands around Akko's belly. "And to you as well, little one."


	9. January

**And I'm back with what was supposed to be a DiAkko Week Day Seven entry but again, it was late, damn work!**

 **I just want to say before this piece gets started that this has been incredibly fun to write and I have greatly enjoyed the response that these drabbles have gotten. Because of the response and my enjoyment working with the characters, I am announcing that this will be a prequel to a series of stories involving Akko, Diana, and their daughter. Though it will start with some oneshots focusing on their daughter's childhood and both Akko and Diana's roles as parents, it will eventually evolve into a larger piece that will follow their daughter's own adventures through the magical world, and I can't wait to start it!**

 **Thank you all for the responses and feedback. Now enjoy the last drabble in "Nine Months".**

 **Kind Regards,  
Symbiotic**

* * *

As the sun, moon, and stars aligned themselves in just the perfect way Diana sat down in her meditative pose, beginning to chant and meditate. The magic enveloping her from the circle she cast in the sacred Cavendish ritual space coming into the cold night air, Diana stayed absolutely still and went about doing the ritual that she was destined to do from the moment she was born, the ritual that would seal her as the head of the Cavendish family.

The night was nothing short of perfect. The Venusian Eclipse was in almost full form and growing closer and closer toward being a total eclipse, and there was an extra boost from the alignment of the stars in coordination with the eclipse. Even though it was a very cold evening nothing otherwise was wrong with this evening for performing the sacred rite. With all the magical power that the universe could possibly line up for her at this moment and with the ritual memorized by heart, Diana went about the process of casting it from the sacred circle and underwent the process.

She called out to the corners, casting the energies from the four noble elements and bringing forth the spirits from those corners to watch over her and provide their energy. She called out to her ancestors, from the very beginning to her late mother Bernadette, to be with her throughout the evening. And once all the forces were aligned she began to take them in and meditate, entering a thoughtful state where she could absorb the energies and let the rite take place before moving onto the next steps.

And things so far went peacefully. It appeared that after the last attempt to undergo the ritual, when her aunt Daryl had interrupted Diana and tried to kill her, that this one would go successfully. But when the evening wore on and Diana lost track of the time her wand began to pulsate and voices began to ring out through her head.

"Diana! Diana, are you there? Can you hear me, Diana?"

Diana's eyes opened up and she looked over her shoulder from her space in the circle. Hovering high above the ritual space were Hannah England and Barbara Parker, her two best friends and fellow teammates during their days at Luna Nova, riding on their brooms safely away from the ritual space. Diana made it vividly clear what would happen to anyone who tried to directly stop her from completing the ritual, not as a threat but as a way to keep her family safe. Even with Daryl, Merrill, and Maril not trying to harm her, the last thing Diana wanted was one of her closest friends to get hurt.

She reached for her wand and cast the communicating enchantment that would allow her to talk to her friends telepathically via her wand. "What is it, Hannah?"

"Diana, there's no easy way to say this but…" Hannah began.

"Diana, Akko is going into labor!" Barbara exclaimed.

"Barbs!" Hannah shot back.

Diana's eyes shot open and she felt her heartbeat quicken. "Now? Is she being attended to?"

"Your aunt and cousins are with her now," Hannah said. "But something's wrong."

The blonde heiress felt her heart sink into the bottom of her chest. Something was wrong? There was no way. Akko was in perfect health throughout the whole day. What could possibly be happening? And why did it have to be happening now, when she was almost done with the sacred ritual and was about to claim her rightful place as the rightful head of the Cavendish family. Diana felt herself to start to tear in half on the inside. Akko had told her to finish the ritual no matter what happened and Diana was certainly determined to do that. But not being there for her wife was something she could hardly bare doing, even if it was to do something as important as this.

Her mind going back and forth between her options, Diana felt herself bathed in a familiar warm glow. Looking behind herself she watched as a small blue light appeared and flashed brightly, temporarily blinding her. When the light faded Diana moved her hand away and looked to see a familiar entity; a tall spirit in a long coat with a tall pointed hat with a bird skull on the crown and flowing blonde hair. It was none other than Beatrix the Affectionate, the founder of the Cavendish family and one of the Nine Olde Witches herself.

Diana went to speak to the old witch, trying to plead with her for some guidance. But all the elder witch did was smile at her with a knowing look, an understanding that deep down she knew Diana knew the right thing to do. The younger witch remained frozen and unsure just what should be done, but as Beatrix looked down upon her a spark lit inside her and welled up from within. Clenching her fists with resolve, Diana stood up from the circle and grabbed her broom. Mounting it and giving herself a hearty "tia freyere" , Diana met her friends in the air and raced back to the Cavendish mansion.

* * *

When they arrived back to the manor Diana immediately raced back to the makeshift hospital ward that was present underneath the Cavendish grounds. There her aunt Daryl, her cousins Merrill and Maril, Reiko, and a midwife that Diana had hired to help deliver the baby were standing waiting with Akko. Diana immediately dismounted her broom and bolted to Akko's side, holding her wife's hand as she breathed deeply. It was when she touched Akko's hand that she noticed something was very wrong, but not with her wife.

"Your feeling just what I'm feeling," Daryl said as she took her place by Diana's side. "She's losing the baby. It was very smart of you to cast that spell that would allow you to directly monitor the baby's health."

Diana reached and held onto Akko's hand, feeling the enchantment she had cast upon the unborn baby send of signals into her hand. If the baby was healthy and the birth was going normally the sensation would be a gentle, pulsing warmth. This on the other hand was a sharp, needle like sensation that rising in pain. Diana could only think of one that could be happening; her baby's umbilical cord was wrapped around its neck.

Akko immediately went into a contraction and breathed sharply, letting out some pained noises and Diana immediately went to work. Focusing intensely and charging the magic within her wand, Diana focused as hard as she could. In her mind she formed the image of the spell and drew the power from within herself, believing with all her heart that she could do this. Trying her hardest to stay calm and knowing she couldn't do the spell she needed to do if she was nervous. But nothing seemed to calm her nerves. As Akko continued to go through her contractions and begin to actually give birth to their child doubt began to creep into Diana's mind. Her mind filled with thoughts of the spell fizzling, doing nothing, or even hurting the baby. Worst of all was a brief flash of horror in her mind where the spell hurt Akko, actually cost Diana the life of her both her unborn baby and her wife. Diana couldn't….

"You can do this," Daryl said from behind her, placing a hand on Diana's shoulder. "You mustn't doubt yourself, Diana. If there is anyone who can do this, it is you."

"And I believe in you," Akko said through her contractions, panting heavily. "I know you got this, Diana. Just believe in yourself. Remember….a believing heart…"

"Is your magic," Diana said to herself.

Akko nodded back at her quickly. "Do it, Diana," she huffed with a forced smile.

Furrowing her brow and straightening out her posture, Diana aimed her wand at her wife, watching as Akko gave her a nod and Daryl kept her gentle grip on her shoulder. Focusing and charging the spell, Diana raised the wand and brought it down while saying the words. "Ulaes Freesara!"

The spell flew off of Diana's wand and enveloped her wife in a blue aura, holding there as she focused on the spell. As Akko continued to her part the midwife got into position and prepared for the last steps. As Akko continued to push herself and pant heavily, Diana watched carefully and agonizingly at every moment, hoping with all hope that her spell had the desired effect. And after what seemed like hours but was really only about twenty minutes Akko stopped writhing, laid back in her bed, and the midwife remained still between her legs. Diana let her wand down slowly, unsure of what to do.

And that's when she heard the sounds of an infant letting out its first noises its mouth to the world. When Diana heard her baby for the first time her heart, which had been frozen low in her chest leaped back into place with an excited warmth. And she could feel the largest smile in her life, larger than even the one when she realized Akko was hers forever during their wedding, grow across her face as she bolted from Daryl's side to Akko's, watching as the baby was placed in Akko's arms. And as soon as Diana saw her daughter she immediately began to swoon. Although she was small and just new to the world she knew that her daughter bore a striking resemblance to Akko, accentuated by the fact that she had a tiny bit of brown hair that was the exact same shade as her wife's. Diana felt her heart race and the smile remain wide, looking longingly and happily at the baby girl in her wife's arms; her and Akko's baby girl.

"She's beautiful isn't she?" Akko said with a smile, holding her in her arms as Diana bent down next to her and looked at her closely before looking back at Diana. "I hope you don't want me to take the name I came up with back."

"I told you you could name her and I don't intend on going back on that promise," Diana assured Akko, simply awestruck by the baby in her wife's arms. There was a pregnant pause for a moment as Diana looked on at the child before Akko spoke up again.

"Chieko," Akko said. Diana picked her head up and looked at her wife in the eyes. "Her name's Chieko." Akko paused and gently stroked their daughter's head with her finger. "It means 'wise child' in Japanese. And I know that with you and I teaching her, well really you, she'll be wise beyond her years."

"Akko," Diana said, pausing for a moment as she thought about the name. "Akko that's...that's beautiful. I love it, I love it so much."

She watched her wife smile and nod her head before raising the baby up toward her. "Here," she said. "You name her too."

"But I said that you could…" Diana began.

"Only the first name," Akko said with a smile. "The middle one is for you. Chieko's not just a Kagari, she's a Cavendish too. So you get to give her name too." Akko raised up her arms and passed baby Chieko to Diana.

Diana gently took the baby girl from her wife's arms and stood up, cradling the infant in her arms. Her heart beat greatly, still in awe over the fact that this baby, this baby who was in danger of losing everything just moments ago, was now in her arms. She couldn't believe that after all the trials, all the failed attempts at casting the fertility spell, unleashing the Grand Triskelion, everything that had gone on in her life that she was now the mother of a baby girl with the love of her life, and that baby was resting in her arms. And DIana's heart only began to grow more filled with love when the baby opened its eyes for the first time and revealed a pair of blue eyes that were exactly like hers.

She truly was Akko and her's daughter, this beautiful graceful child that they had.

"Grace," Diana said as she held the baby in her arms. Hannah, Barbara, Daryl, her cousins, and Reiko looked over at Diana. "Chieko Grace. That will be her name. Chieko Grace Kagari-Cavendish." She turned back toward her wife and walked back with baby Chieko in her hand. "If you approve of course."

Diana watched as Akko nodded her head up and down and reached over to envelop Diana and their daughter. "It's perfect, Diana. It's absolutely perfect."

For the moment both women let happy tears flow down their face, trying their best to not get them on the baby girl in Diana's arms as the the three of them remained close. And with all the questions on her mind as to what would happen next, Diana couldn't wait to be a mother for one Chieko Grace Kagari-Cavendish, especially with Atsuko Kagari-Cavendish at her side every step of the way.


End file.
